Maqata'at Wa-Ahlam: Qasa'id ("Separations And Dreams: Poems"). Faiq, Salah.

First edition of this intriguing collection of Arabic poems on exile and dislocation, complemented by the poet's own surrealist collages. This a presentation copy inscribed by the author, "To John Lyle, with best wishes from, Salah Faiq 7/7/1984". John Lyle (1932-2002) was an English surrealist and bookseller. An Iraqi-born poet, Fa'iq (b. 1945) has identified himself with the Kirkuk Group of multilingual artists working across media. The present volume contains poems which he composed in San'a' and London between 1977 and 1983, including "A Blind Man Searching for a Voice" and "Once, the Moon Stood Still". WorldCat locates only 5 copies of this edition. Octavo. Original publisher's green illustrated card wrappers, lettered in black on spine. With 12 plates showing collages by the poet. Slightly bumped at foot of spine, edges a bit foxed. A very good copy.